Odds & Ends: Sano, Jones, Draft, Fukumori
A bevy of links for your Saturday morning…
- Dennis Manoloff reports that the Indians intend to make an offer to uberprospect Miguel Angel Sano.
- ESPN's Jorge Arangure tweets that the "Yankees have made it very clear that catcher Gary Sanchez is their top choice" on the international market. Last night we noted that the Yanks were going to work Sano out at their Dominican academy next week.
- Andruw Jones says he asked out of Dodger Blue because of the way owner Frank McCourt treated him, according to Dylan Hernandez.
- Frank Seravalli reports that Phillies are set to sign second round pick Kyle Dugan today. Dugan was Philadelphia's first selection in the draft after they forfeited their first rounder to sign Raul Ibanez.
- Kevin Goldstein wonders why Stephen Strasburg's impending megadeal is such a big deal. Meanwhile Michael Wilbon says "No way in the world I'd have taken Stephen Strasburg with the No. 1 pick in the draft," citing the risk. Show me a draft pick without risk, and I'll show you the three bridges in New York I have for sale.
- Patrick at NPB Tracker notes that the recently released Kazuo Fukumori is set to audition for his former team, the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles of the Japanese Pacific League.
Odds And Ends: Padres, Fukumori, Ortiz
Some links for Tuesday morning…
- Today's chat will be at 2pm CST.
- Dylan Hernandez of the LA Times reports that the Padres know they have to win if they want to stop management from trading players away.
- Adrian Gonzalez says it's too early to tell how long he'll remain a Padre.
- Patrick Newman at NPB Tracker passes on a report saying Kazuo Fukumori will be released by the Rangers. He made four appearances for them last year, but hasn't pitched in the majors this season.
- It's not his eyes, after all. David Ortiz can see just fine according to John Tomase of the Boston Herald.
- ESPN.com's Rob Neyer responds to Eddie's post about the mystery shortstop the Red Sox have interest in, saying it's "probably not" Yunel Escobar.
- Indians GM Mark Shapiro told Dejan Kovacevic of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette that he believes Neal Huntington made an "understandable" and "wise" decision when he dealt Nate McLouth to the Braves.
- Joe Posnanski does not want to see the Royals trade for Jeff Francouer.
Odds & Ends: Schuerholz, Fukumori, Perez
Some Saturday morning links to hold you over while the cartoons are on commercial break…
- Braves' team president John Schuerholz issued a public apology for how Tom Glavine's release was handled, as MLB.com's Mark Bowman reports. "I'm not regretting the decision making. I'm regretting the manner in which it was portrayed and explained to Tommy. I feel like I could have done a better job with that."
- Patrick at NPB Tracker passes along a report that the Rangers are trying to transfer Kazuo Fukumori's rights to a Japanese club. Fukumori had a 20.25 ERA in four ineffective outings for Texas last year, but he hasn't pitched this year and is training in Arizona.
- ESPN.com's Jorge Arangure Jr. reports that Cuban outfielder Felix Perez has been suspended one year for falsifying age documents. Perez, who claimed he was 20 years old, was close to signing a $3MM contract with the Yankees when it was discovered that he is actually 24 or 25.
- UmpBump.com's Nick Kapur lists one player each NL team should cut from their roster. While just about everyone listed has been downright terrible this year, most of the players would have no trouble finding a new job if they were actually released.
Rangers Signing Fukumori
UPDATE, 12-13-07 at 10:20am: Rosenthal confirms this signing; it kind of flew under the radar. Pretty cheap at $1.5MM per year.
UPDATE, 12-12-07 at 1:57pm: My Japanese-speaking friend says that this article indicates Fukumori signed with Texas for two years and $3MM. The $1.5MM salary is about twice what he made in ’07. Fukumori also had offers from the Pirates and Rays.
FROM 12-12-07 at 9:08am:
According to Evan Grant, the Rangers are "on the verge" of signing Japanese reliever Kazuo Fukumori. It would be a two-year deal.
As many as 10 teams were said to be interested in Fukumori, including the Yankees, Nationals, Royals, and Red Sox. Ken Davidoff recently spoke to a scout who described Fukumori as "not bad."
Yanks Interested In Kazuo Fukumori
31 year-old Japanese reliever Kazuo Fukumori is drawing plenty of interest – 10 teams have inquired, if you believe his agent. A new interested party has been revealed – the Yankees. They met with Alan Nero on Wednesday. Fukumori wants a two-year deal.
Ken Davidoff’s article says the Padres and Rays are also in the mix. The Nationals, Royals, and Red Sox are others who have been connected. The Rockies will pass on Fukumori because of concerns over his elbow. East Windup Chronicle profiled Fukumori here. A scout Davidoff talked to saw him as a sixth or seventh inning guy; he didn’t seem thrilled.
Rockies Rumors: Iguchi, Grudzielanek, Rusch, Fukumori
UPDATE, 12-6-07 at 12:20am: Troy Renck says that if the Rox do acquire a second baseman, Dan O’Dowd is ready to trade both Clint Barmes and Jamey Carroll. The Cardinals, Marlins, and Indians would be suitors for those two.
FROM 12-5-07 at 10:09pm:
MLB.com’s Thomas Harding checks in with a slew of new Rockies rumors.
- The Rockies have their eye on Tadahito Iguchi and could offer him a two-year deal. However, Iguchi is craving a contract similar to Kaz Matsui’s three-year, $16.5MM pact. Should one bad contract beget another one?
- Mark Grudzielanek can be had, but the Rox aren’t interested.
- The Rockies will take a gander at the suddenly popular Glendon Rusch.
- The Rox will pass on Kazuo Fukumori – they’re worried about his elbow.
Nationals Rumors: Colon, Fukumori
MLB.com’s Bill Ladson has a handful of Nationals rumors tonight.
- As you know, Damian Miller, Johnny Estrada, and Miguel Montero have been targeted at the catcher position.
- The Nats want to sign Bartolo Colon to a one-year deal, but it appears he craves multiple years.
- As mentioned earlier, the Nats like Kazuo Fukumori. What we didn’t mention earlier was the idea that Fukumori could start. The notion seems questionable, as the 31 year-old hasn’t started a game since 2002.
- The Nationals have no interest in David Eckstein or Kenny Lofton, despite their desire for a leadoff hitter. They certainly don’t need an outfielder, anyway.
Odds and Ends: Peavy, Ellsbury, Montero, Fukumori
More random rumors to devour…
- The Braves are looking at adding Damian Miller as their backup catcher. The Nats are known to have interest and more playing time for Miller. The Padres are considering him as well; Miller will definitely play in ’08.
- Jake Peavy will get a three-year, $52MM extension with a $22MM option for 2013. Who knows how the Padres will feel about that option when they get there. Peavy will earn $15MM in 2010, $16MM in ’11, and $17MM in ’12. The ’13 option has a $4MM buyout attached.
- Jacoby Ellsbury signed on with the Scott Boras Corporation. I made an error earlier saying Jon Lester had as well.
- Pirates inked utility man Chris Gomez for a million bucks.
- The Nationals have their eye on Arizona’s Miguel Montero. They’re also one of the ten teams in on Kazuo Fukumori. Barry Svrluga tosses a new Japanese reliever into the mix: Katsuhiko Maekawa. Don’t know a thing about him yet.
- Larry LaRue tries to explain why the Mariners didn’t offer arbitration to Jose Guillen.
Odds and Ends: Jose Lopez, Green, Silva, Fukumori
Let’s round a few more rumors up, because they just don’t stop coming.
- Says Jim Molony: no less than 10 teams have expressed interest in Carlos Silva. Weak – 11 have expressed interest in Bedard, loser.
- Other guys in the 10 interested teams club – Livan Hernandez and Kazuo Fukumori. At least, that’s where their agents would like everyone to think.
- The Padres can only afford one of Mike Cameron and Kosuke Fukudome. They think Fukudome can play an adequate center. Kevin Towers is still in talks with Cameron.
- The Mariners are shopping Jose Lopez, who Jeff Passan names as a possible non-tender. However Lopez already is already all tendered up through 2010 on a long-term pact. So to ditch him the Ms would have to trade him or else cut him and eat the money, Russ Ortiz style.
- Passan suggests the Rays might prefer to go with Shawn Green for their right field vacancy, as Geoff Jenkins and Brad Wilkerson want multiyear deals. The Giants also like Green, for some reason. Nick Cafardo suggests Trot Nixon could be the guy behind the guy for the Rays.
Padres Rumors: Cameron, Jenkins, Colon
UPDATE, 11-28-07 at 10pm: Krasovic has an update on the Union-Tribune’s sports blog. Cameron’s agent said tonight that he would decline the Padres’ offer of arbitration. That doesn’t mean the Padres still can’t sign him, but it seems unlikely. Krasovic also notes that the Friars are pursuing Japanese reliever Kazuo Fukumori. As you know, they brought him in for a workout previously. The Rockies and Red Sox have been linked to him in the past.
FROM 11-28-07 at 10:40am:
Tim Sullivan and Tom Krasovic make are a productive tandem for Padres rumors. Sullivan and Krasovic both posted new articles today.
- Sullivan says the Padres will probably offer arbitration to Mike Cameron. Cameron will then decide whether to accept by December 7th. It wouldn’t make sense for the Padres to move on a center fielder until that is resolved. It’s also possible that the Padres just sign Cameron to a two-year deal – they’re sitting on a counteroffer from Cameron’s camp.
- The Padres admit to interest in Andruw Jones, but it seems like a longshot. They probably won’t go past one year, and even if Jones accepts that it’s not a good ballpark to rebuild value.
- Sullivan names other center field possibilities: Aaron Rowand, Gary Matthews Jr., Reggie Willits, and Coco Crisp.
- As for left field, Krasovic notes that the Padres met with Geoff Jenkins yesterday. That might allow Scott Hairston to move to center if all of the above options fail.
- On the pitchiing front, Buster Olney notes that the Padres have expressed interest in Randy Wolf, Bartolo Colon, and Mark Prior.